There are not many top independent schools in Britain where you can take a six-minute stroll and find yourself on the doorstep of a national park, an international tennis venue, a county cricket ground, two challenging golf courses, award-winning beaches, theatres, an award-winning modern art gallery, a shopping centre (with cinema) and a mainline station to London (85 minutes), London Gatwick Airport (55 minutes) and Ashford International (direct trains to Paris). Today Eastbourne College reaches out like never before, connecting its boarding and day pupils with the raft of opportunities that abound within a few hundred metres of the school; and beyond. The College's learning environment is second to none thanks to a £33 million redevelopment (completed in 2019), an outstanding, supportive house system, and a timetable which optimises educational contact time, provides optional Saturday morning enrichment sessions, and promotes a busy calendar of competitive sport and socials. The College has got into a tradition of stimulating academic success while developing people of good character; good people that others want to be with. In 2021, 82 per cent of the grades awarded at A-level were A*-B. 50 per cent of the School’s top achievers were girls with six going on to study at Oxford or Cambridge university. Pupils leaving the College achieve A-level grades that enable them to access top courses at the leading universities at home or abroad while also enjoying a diverse and successful wider school life. Healthy learning for the long term and an extra-mile approach to pastoral care are the guiding principles that underpin an Eastbourne College education, which consistently ranks in the top 4 per cent nationally for academic value added. This means that, on average, pupils achieve one whole grade higher than predicted moving from GCSE to A-level. The reputation of the College’s pre-medical school (spearheaded by a GP) has gained ground in recent years and all pupils benefit from a dedicated Futures Department which facilitates pathways into higher education in the UK and abroad. The College has an excellent record of entry to Oxbridge, Russell Group, USA university scholarship, and myriad specialist higher education establishments.
